Kolkata: In a major announcement on the occasion of Paschim Banga Divas, the West Bengal government has unveiled a series of initiatives to honour the legacy of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, one of the key architects of modern West Bengal and a prominent nationalist leader. The state will install a 125-foot-tall statue of Dr Mookerjee in Kolkata and convert his ancestral residence into a memorial and public library.
🚨 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT FROM PASCHIM BANGA DIWAS
BJP leader Syama Prasad Mookerjee receives major tribute in West Bengal:
▪️ A 125-ft tall statue of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee to be installed in Kolkata.
▪️ Foundation stone to be laid on July 6, marking his 125th birth anniversary.… pic.twitter.com/9SGVElV4E2— Bengal Lens (@BengalLens_) June 21, 2026
The announcement assumes special significance as 2026 marks the 125th birth anniversary year of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who played a crucial role in ensuring that a part of Bengal remained within India during the Partition of 1947. His efforts are widely credited with contributing to the creation of the present-day state of West Bengal.
According to the announcement, the foundation stone for the proposed 125-foot statue will be laid on July 6, coinciding with Dr Mookerjee’s 125th birth anniversary celebrations. Once completed, the monument is expected to become one of the tallest statues dedicated to a political leader in eastern India and serve as a major cultural and historical landmark in Kolkata.
In another significant step, Dr Mookerjee’s ancestral home in Kolkata will be transformed into a memorial-cum-library. The project aims to preserve documents, photographs, books and archival material related to his life and contributions to India’s political and educational history. The library is also expected to serve as a centre for research and public engagement on Bengal’s history and the Partition era.
Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee was a distinguished educationist, parliamentarian and former Union Minister. He served as the youngest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta and later emerged as a leading political figure in independent India. He is also remembered as the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the ideological predecessor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The announcements come amid renewed efforts to highlight Dr Mookerjee’s role in safeguarding the interests of Bengali Hindus during Partition and securing the inclusion of key regions within the Indian Union. Supporters regard him as a visionary leader whose contributions helped shape the political and cultural identity of West Bengal.
The proposed statue and memorial are expected to become focal points of the year-long celebrations marking his 125th birth anniversary, reflecting growing recognition of his contribution to the state’s history and India’s nation-building process.
